Papaiti Navigator Navy Strength Gin

Papaiti bottles Navigator, its navy-strengthNavy StrengthGin bottled at 57% ABV or more. Royal Navy lore holds that at this strength, gunpowder soaked in gin would still ignite.GlossarySee Navy Strength gins gin, at 57% ABV in a 700 ml bottle, taking inspiration from the waters of the Pacific and the traditions of gin from years gone by. That strength, as the Whanganui distillery reminds us, was useful for the moment when the gunpowder for your cannons got damp and still needed igniting. Nine botanicals make up the recipe: juniper, coriander seed, angelica root, liquorice root, fresh orange, oyster shell, kelp, coconut and grains of paradise.

Citrus · Spicy · Navy Strength

Papaiti calls it an enchanting elixir of the sea. Lashings of juniperJuniperThe one compulsory botanical: gin must taste predominantly of juniper. Its "berry" is really a small conifer cone, resinous and peppery.Glossary come first, alongside the bright citrus of fresh orange. A bracing maritime edge follows: the salty-sweet notes of kelpKelpA brown seaweed from Atlantic shores, briny and rich in umami.Glossary and the soft mineral quality of crushed oyster shell. Coriander and grains of paradise add a peppery spice, while coconut and liquorice round the palate with a quiet sweetness. At 57%, the botanical flavour is strong and deep, and a little water or ice opens the citrus and sea notes without flattening them. Coconut gives a soft, rounded sweetness that balances the salt.

Papaiti suggests it with a classic Indian tonicIndian tonicThe classic tonic: sparkling water, bitter quinine and sugar. The name recalls colonial India, where quinine warded off malaria.Glossary, or as the base of a favourite cocktail, as you kick back and daydream of adventures on the high seas. Its strength and salinity make a firm MartiniDry MartiniGin and a little dry vermouth, stirred over ice and served in a well-chilled stemmed glass, with an olive or a twist.Glossary and a GimletGimletGin with lime cordial or sweetened lime juice, served well chilled without ice. It is said to come from the Royal Navy, as a guard against scurvy.Glossary that keeps its shape after shaking. Its strength means a small pour goes a long way in a long drink. A NegroniNegroniAn Italian cocktail of equal parts gin, sweet vermouth and red bitter (Campari), served over ice with orange peel. Born in Florence in 1919.Glossary works well too.

For the G&T, pour 45 ml of Navigator over firm ice and add 100 ml of Fever-Tree Indian Tonic Water. Add an orange twist and a thin strip of nori seaweed to the drink, and set matching garnishes beside the glass. The orange echoes the fresh fruit of the recipe, and the nori links the garnish to the kelp.